LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A Las Vegas non-profit called Future Smiles is bringing dental care right to schools to help combat the loss of learning and ensure children have healthy smiles.
34 million hours of school are lost each year due to emergency visits to the dentist’s office, according to a study by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Terri Chandler, a Las Vegas native, has worked as a dental hygienist in Las Vegas since 1999.
Now she uses those skills through her non-profit Future Smiles to help students in the Clark County School District.
Future Smiles serves more than 5,000 students throughout 50 schools in the district.
Each student received a dental health screening, had their teeth cleaned, and had sealants applied to help protect their teeth against cavities.
The students’ parents received a full briefing on their children’s dental health and are offered follow-up care from Future Smiles.
Nevada Medicaid covers dental services for a lot of the children Future Smiles serves. Some of that coverage is ending for the first time since the pandemic.
The Continuous Coverage Condition ends on March 31, 2023. Those interested can find further information from the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services.
